Missouri kept climbing in the Week 2 AP Top 25, and the jump is a meaningful one: the Tigers moved from No. 23 to No. 20 after opening the year at No. 25 in the preseason poll.
The rise followed Missouri’s 38-21 win over Kansas on Friday, a game driven by the passing attack. Quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while Donovan Olugbode and Cayden Lee each hauled in six catches and finished with 120 or more receiving yards plus a touchdown.
Missouri’s move up came at the expense of Oregon, Houston and Oklahoma. Oklahoma fell 17-10 to Michigan, Oregon lost 39-31 to Oklahoma State, and Houston beat Southern 77-6.
The Tigers are back in the top 20 for the first time since Week 11 of 2025, when they were ranked No. 19.
Here’s how the top of the AP poll looks: Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami hold the first five spots, followed by Ohio State, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama. Missouri sits just behind Michigan at No. 19 and ahead of Oregon at No. 21.
For Missouri, the next SEC team in reach is No. 15 Tennessee.
The next ranked opponent on the schedule is No. 9 Texas A&M, which visits Columbia on Oct.
Former Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula also cracked the rankings, with his Virginia Cavaliers sitting at No. 25 in both polls.
The Tigers also climbed in the LBM Coaches Poll, moving up one spot from No. 23 to No. 22 after passing Houston. Missouri is one spot behind Oklahoma in that ranking, with the Sooners coming off the loss to Michigan but having beaten the Tigers 17-6 in Norman last season.
The Coaches Poll top 25 is led by Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana and Miami, with Missouri checking in at No. 22 and Virginia rounding out the list at No. 25.
In Other News...
Missouris Border War Win Showed Why Tigers Fans Should Be Excited
Austin Simmons hardly looked rattled in his first road start, and Missouri had plenty to like in its 38-21 Border War win over Kansas. The Tigers moved to 2-0, and the performance had the feel of a team with more than one way to beat you. Simmons was sharp throwing the ball, Missouris receivers found room downfield, and the offense kept stacking plays that made the rivalry game tilt early in the Tigers favor.
Robert Woodyard Jr. added the kind of defensive impact that can swing a game like this, forcing a fumble and picking off a pass as Missouri kept Kansas from finding any sustained rhythm. Donovan Olugbode and Cayden Lee each topped 120 receiving yards and scored, giving the Tigers a pair of explosive targets to pair with Simmons efficient night. For a team still just two games into the season, that combination is exactly why there should be real buzz around what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Kansas Win Hid An Early Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Missouris offense has looked a little more balanced through its first two games of the 2026 season, with the play-calling leaning closer to a true run-pass split than it did a year ago. On the surface, that kind of adjustment can signal progress, especially for a team trying to keep defenses honest and avoid becoming too predictable.
But the run game has not exactly matched the plan. Even in a win over Kansas, the ground attack never really found steady traction, and the numbers underneath the result point to a concern the Tigers cannot ignore if they want the offense to hold up against better competition. The aerial game can help cover for some of that, but Missouri still needs the rushing offense to do more than just flash in spots. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Is Climbing Again And Fans Will Notice What Comes Next
Missouri football has started to see the kind of national recognition that comes with getting a meaningful win and backing it up with enough buzz around the league. After knocking off Kansas, the Tigers climbed again in the updated US LBM Coaches Poll, landing at No. 22 as the rankings continue to lean heavily toward the SEC and Big Ten, with Texas sitting at No. 1.
The movement matters because it keeps Missouri in the conversation as the season settles in, even if the margin between spots remains thin. The Tigers now turn to Troy in Columbia, where the next chance to strengthen that standing comes before the schedule really starts to sharpen and the rankings become harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]